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How long and how much? Wait times and costs for initial private child mental health appointments
journal contribution
posted on 2020-11-10, 00:00 authored by Melissa Mulraney, Cindy Lee, Gary Freed, Michael Sawyer, D Coghill, Emma SciberrasEmma Sciberras, Daryl Efron, Harriet HiscockAim
To determine: (i) wait times and out‐of‐pocket costs for children attending private specialists for initial mental health appointments; and (ii) whether these differed between specialists working in metropolitan versus rural areas and in low, medium and high socio‐economic areas.
Methods
Prospective secret shopper study whereby a researcher posed as a parent seeking an appointment for her child with anxiety or attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder. We contacted 317 private paediatrician, psychiatrist and psychologist practices in Victoria and South Australia between 12 March and 5 May 2019.
Results
One third (29.8%) of private practices were closed to new referrals. The average wait times for paediatricians, psychiatrists, and psychologists were 44, 41 and 34 days, respectively. Average out‐of‐pocket costs quoted were AU$120 for paediatricians, AU$176 for psychiatrists and AU$85 for psychologists.
Conclusion
Parents face extensive wait times and substantial out‐of‐pocket costs when seeking private mental health services for their child.
To determine: (i) wait times and out‐of‐pocket costs for children attending private specialists for initial mental health appointments; and (ii) whether these differed between specialists working in metropolitan versus rural areas and in low, medium and high socio‐economic areas.
Methods
Prospective secret shopper study whereby a researcher posed as a parent seeking an appointment for her child with anxiety or attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder. We contacted 317 private paediatrician, psychiatrist and psychologist practices in Victoria and South Australia between 12 March and 5 May 2019.
Results
One third (29.8%) of private practices were closed to new referrals. The average wait times for paediatricians, psychiatrists, and psychologists were 44, 41 and 34 days, respectively. Average out‐of‐pocket costs quoted were AU$120 for paediatricians, AU$176 for psychiatrists and AU$85 for psychologists.
Conclusion
Parents face extensive wait times and substantial out‐of‐pocket costs when seeking private mental health services for their child.
History
Journal
Journal of Paediatrics and Child HealthVolume
Early ViewIssue
Online Version of Record before inclusion in an issueArticle number
jpc.15253Publisher
Wiley-Blackwell PublishingLocation
Chichester, Eng.Publisher DOI
ISSN
1034-4810eISSN
1440-1754Language
engPublication classification
C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalCopyright notice
2020, Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians)Usage metrics
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